Curtain for vestibule-cars.



E. C. HOLMES.

CURTAIN FOR VESTIBULE GARS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI: 1a, 190e.

Patented May 3, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD C. HOLMES, OF LUDLOW, KENTUCKY.

CURTAIN FOR VESTIBULE-CARS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, residinl in Ludlow, in the county of Kenton and btate of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtains for Vestibule-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My improvements relate to curtains for vestibule cars such as are used by railroads, to cover up the flexible folds and the contact surfaces of the diaphragm frames of the cars which form the vestibule passageway, and my invention has particular relation to improvements in the construction and operation of an automatic releasing device for such curtains, whereby if the curtain is not released from the retaining hook when the cars are uncoupled or cut apart, the curtain will be automatically released from the hook as the cars separate.

A device of this kind is illustrated in my prior Patent No. 820195 of May 8, 1906.

My invention consists of that certain novel construction and arrangement of parts, whereby the connecting strip of shorter length than the curtain, such as is illustrated in my prior patent, may be readily and easily attached to the curtains now in use, and in which the hook for holding the curtain in place may be also used as a retaining device for vestibule curtains, which do not employ any means for releasing the curtain when the cars are pulled apart.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved retaining device with the curtain handle in place. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the curtain and retaining device with the curtain engaging the retaining device. Fig. 3 is a similar section with the curtain in released position. Fig. 4L is a horizontal section of the retaining device as used for a curtain not enibodying the invention. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the curtaln, showing the method of attaching the curtain strip.

l and 2 represent portions of the upright frame of two vestibule cars which are coupled together. These osts being on one side of the passageway, etween the cars.

Mounted vertically in a pocket 3, in the post 2, is the curtain roller 4, upon which is wound the curtain 5, which passes out through a vertical slot 6, in the cover plate Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 13, 1908.

Patented May 3, 1910.

serial No. 438,378.

T, which covers and conceals the curtain in the pocket The usual springs on the roller 4, are provided to wind up the curtain when it is not in use. The vertical outer edge oi the curtain 5, is provided with a tube or rod S, which serves as a binder and support for the outer edge.

Clamped around this tube at about its central portion, and held by the clamp screw 9, is the rectangular handle 10. The side arms 11 and 12 of this handle are recessed and slot-ted on their inner edges and carry the bar 13, the ends ot this bar 13, passing into the slotted recess in the arms ot' the handle, and a coiled spring 14, for each handle arm is provided mounted in the recess and bearing against the ends ot the bar 13, so as normally to hold the bar 13, in its outer position.

.15 is a flexible strip otcanvasorothersuitable material, which is of shorter length than the curtain itselt when the curtain is unwound. This flexible strip 15, is secured around the curtain roller ut one end. The strip is provided at this end with a loop 1G, a small section of the curtain is cut away where attached to the roller, and the flexible strip passed around the roller through this slot 17, in the curtain, and then passed through the loop 1G, so that as the curtain winds up the flexible strip will wind up with it.

A slide bar 13, is provided along its inner edge with the horizontally slotted plates 18, 19, and to secure the strip 15, to this bar 13, the end of the strip is passed in between these two plates 18, 19, and is threaded through the two slots on the one side, and then through the two slots on the other, thus securely locking the strip 15, to the plates 18, 19, as shown in Fig. 5, without the necessity of any sewing or stitching.

In order to lock the curtain in place for the vestibule passageway, I provide the catch 20. This catch is pivoted on the vertical pin 21, in the box 22, seated in a suitable recess in the vestibule posts 1, and provided with a slotted cover plate 23, set in flush with the outer surface of the post. The catch 20, is provided with the double hook 24, with prongs extending in opposite directions, and with the rear hook 25, the engaging surfaces ot' each of these hooks being circular or otherwise, to conform to the cross sectional shape of the portions of the handle engaged thereby. The catch 20, is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 2, by the spring 26, mounted around the pivot pin 21, and bearing between the catch and the plate 23.

In order to secure the curtain in place, the sliding bar 13, is pushed inward and the vertical back of the handle 10, is placed over the outer prong of the hook 24:, and the sliding bar' released so that it engages on the opposite side of the hook. In this position the curtain is securely locked by the catch, the bar 13, preventing any pivotal movement of the catch, and under normal conditions the pull on the curtain in the shifting of the cars in rounding curves the catch will securely hold the curtain in place. If, however, the cars are cut apart with the curtain still in position, as the curtain unwinds the strain will come first on the flexible strip 15, which is shorter than the curtain, and will be unwound entirely while there are still several turns of the curtain around the roller. The moment any pull comes on the strip 15, the bar 13 is withdrawn from the catch, and the front bar of the handle will at once pull back the catch as shown in Fig. 3, and the handle will be released.

It may frequently happen that one vestibule car will be provided with my retaining device, while the car carrying the curtain will only be provided with the ordinary handle, as shown in Fig. 4f. In this event the user merely hooks the handle bar over the hook` 25, and this hook will hold the curtain in the ordinary way, the catch coming to a stop in the back of the box 22. The operator cannot by any carelessness with this ordinary curtain construction make use of the catch 24, to hook the handle thereon, because the catch will at once pull back into the box and release the handle.

I-Iaving thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character specified, in combination with the curtain roller and curtain, and a handle for holding the curtain, with a bar slidingly mounted on said handle, a flexible strip secured to the curtain roller and separate from the curtain, and a plate secured to the sliding bar, provided with slots to receive the end of the iiexible strip and to detachably secure the same thereto.

2. In a device of the character speciiied, in combination with the curtain roller and curtain of a handle for holding the curtain, a bar slidingly mounted on said handle, and a flexible connection therefor with the curtain roller of shorter length thanthe curtain, and a pivoted catch with prongs in opposite direction, one prong engaging the handle, and the other the sliding bar, and said catch being provided with a hook at the rear of said prongs.

EDWARD C. HOLMES.

Vitnesses:

'BEssIE A. BEALL,

ARTHUR ITI. EWALD. 

